Translated and presented by Boruch Merkur
Following the histalkus of the Rebbe Rayatz, the Rebbe MH”M proclaimed that the Rebbe remains alive as before. * Source materials on this topic, compiled by Rabbi Majeski in Likkutei M’koros. (Translations appear in bold. Underlining is the author’s emphasis.)
On the first day of Chag HaPesach of that year, after davening in the Rebbe Rayatz’s room, the Rebbe MH”M addressed those present. The Rebbe expressed his surprise that those who came by to the Rebbe Rayatz’s room, after they had finished their own seiders, did not continue their seudas there to eat afikoman. Had they done so, they would have had the opportunity and merit to be present when they opened the door for Eliyahu HaNavi.
The Rebbe distinguishes two ways that Eliyahu HaNavi appears to others1:
It is known that Eliyahu HaNavi is capable of being at several places at once [e.g., to be present at bris milas]. However, his entire being is not present when he does so; just a spark of his spirit appears. When he does come himself – his entire being, not just a spark – then he is only present in a single place, as we find regarding the time he needed to save Rav Hamnuna Sava. In order to show the proper respect to Rav Hamnuna Sava, Eliyahu HaNavi had to come to him in person [to save him and his colleagues, even though this meant that he was not able, at that very moment, to be somewhere else [i.e., he could not appear before Rashbi at the time].
(The Rebbe shlita concludes) Is it possible for there to be a greater and loftier revelation of Eliyahu HaNavi than in the room where the Rebbe conducted s’darim for Pesach throughout the period of a decade?!
Even after the histalkus [the same holds true, for] we find2 that after the histalkus of Rabbeinu HaKodesh he would come to his house on Shabbos night (and likewise on the night of Yom Tom) and make Kiddush for others, thereby discharging their obligation….
(Ibid 22)
In the address of Acharon Shel Pesach, the Rebbe discusses the Gemara in K’suvos 103a:
“Our Sages taught: At the time of Rebbi’s passing (b’shaas p’tiraso), he said, ‘I require the presence of my children.’ His children approached and he told them, ‘…a lamp should continue to be lit in its usual place, the table should be set in its usual place, and the couch should be arranged in its usual place.’”
To elucidate: “P’tira” also means “departing from one place and going to another,” from one experience to another, from one manner of serving G-d to another. Similarly, “Haftora” is the “p’tira” and “departure” from Torah to N’viim. Likewise, “p’tiraso shel Rebbi” means the “p’tira” and “departure” of Rebbi to a loftier place, a more advanced approach to the service of G-d, as our Sages say, “The righteous have no rest – not in this world nor in the World to Come, as it is said, ‘they shall go from strength to strength.’” That is, the righteous journey and ascend from one spiritual height to the next.
The novelty here is that “when Rebbi was about to depart (b’shaas p’tiraso) from this world, he said, ‘I require the presence of my children.’” With the event of Rebbi’s “p’tira – departure,” he began a manner of Divine service that totally surpassed his previous service. Thus, there is reason to maintain that it possesses no relevance to us. [Rebbi, Rosh B’nei Yisroel, head of the Jewish people, even prior to his p’tira was exceptionally great. Now that he was totally removed from his worldly limitations, he had conceivably departed from any possible connection to the rest of the Jewish people, those who did not ascend with him.] Rebbi, however, rules out this misconception by saying, at the time of his p’tira, “I require the presence of my children.” It is as if Rebbi were saying: Notwithstanding the fact that I am now ascending to an approach to serving G-d that is utterly transcendent, nevertheless I [still] remember you, and I shall remember you wherever I may be [i.e., whatever spiritual heights I attain]. In fact, your service has an affect on me even at the most sublime heights. Indeed, even there, “I require the presence of my children.” That is to say, not only do the children need him, but to an even greater extent, he needs his children.
Thus, all those things that were customary to be arranged before Rebbi, remain in their places: “a lamp should continue to be lit in its usual place, the table should be set in its usual place, and the couch should be arranged in it usual place.”
(Ibid 23)
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NOTES:
1 See Hemshech 5666, pg. 178. See Idra Rabbah (Zohar III, 144b).
2 Seifer Chassidim siman 1129. See the sicha of Acharon Shel Pesach siman 6 (pg. 26 of Toras Menachem)